Terson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -1.

v J. w. PATTERSON. COIN CONTROLLED ATTAUHMENT FOR THEATER CHAIRS.

No. 522,943. Patented July 10, 1894. v

(No Model.) l r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. PATTERSON.

00m CONTROLLED ATTACHMENT FOR THEATER CHAIRS. No. 522,943. Patented July10, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILLIAM PATTERSON, OF NEW YORK, N.Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE OPERA GLASSSUPPLY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED ATTACHMENT FOR THEATER-CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,943, dated July 10,1894.

Application filed March 15,1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES WILLIAM PAT- TERSON, residing in the city,county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Renting OperaGlasses in Theaters, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved means for rentingopera glasses to the patrons of theaters in lieu of the letting of theglasses by an attendant in the lobby The invention provides mechanicalmeans whereby the occupant of a theater chair may help himself to anopera-glass at any time during a performance and without leaving hisseat, and without requiring the services of an attendant.

The invention provides also for insuring the payment of the rental feefor the use of the glasses.

To this end the invention consists, broadly, in the combination of anobject to be rented such as an opera glass and a coin actuated lock orfastening for attaching or looking the said object in such a manner,that upon the insertion of a coin of the prescribed character into thelock the glass will be released and may be used. The deposited coin isretainedin the lock to be removed subsequently by a collector who willget access to the interior ofthe coin receptacle by the use of a specialkey, as in the case of coin actuated mechanisms generally.

More specifically the invention relates to a special construction ofcoin-actuated'lock or fasteningdesigned to insure the perfect andreliable operation of the device under all circumstances, provided theproper coin be inserted.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a theaterchair provided with my improved opera-glass attachment.

Fig. 2 is afront view of the opera-glass and coin-actuated lock, thelatter being in vertical section in the plane of the lines 2--2 in Figs.3 and 4. Fig. 3 is a plan view, the coin-aotuated lock being inhorizontal section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is avertioaltransverse section of the coin-actuated lock, out

in the plane of the line 4-4: in Fig. 2. Fig.

Serial No. 303,465. (No model.)

5 is a fragmentary View answering to Fig. 2, and showing the parts ofthe lock in a diiferent position.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate the theater chairconstituting the support for the opera-glass, B the opera-glass, and Gthe coin-actuated look by which the glass is fastened to the chair. Thiscoin-actuated lock is attached to the chair in some permanent manner,and engages the glass by a temporary engagement in such manner that uponthe insertion of a coin this engagement is released and the glass may beremoved.

According to my invention the glass is not, or need not be, inclosed,but is simply grasped orheld bysuitable fastening provisions formingpart of the look.

The main features of this invention are that the coin lock, unlike thecoin actuated mechanism for vending, Weighing, and testing machines, andall other kinds of coin controlled or coin actuated machines, is notentirely automatic but when it is opened remains in the unlockedposition and requires a special manipulation to be relocked or reset.The lock being constructed in suoha mannerthat the resetting orrelocking requires the use of a special key, and with a projecting partsuch as a push button to force the coin directly against the lockingbolt or lever. The result of the combination of these elements is a lockof an exceedingly simple construction and reliable in operation, andespecially adapted for controlling objects to be rented in publicplaces, such as, for instance, opera glasses in theaters.

I will now proceed to describe specifically 'the construction shown inFigs. 1 to 5.

The opera-glass B may be of any suitable kind, and is provided with ahandle D united to it in any convenientposit-ion and projecting in anysuitable direction which will not interfere with the use oftheglass Inthe drawings this handle is shown as applied at one side of the glassand projecting in a direction parallel with the axis of vision. It isshown as provided with two recesses a a on its outer side.

The coin-actuated lockC is constructed with an inclosing case Ein boxform, which is proout so that their ends will enter the recesses a a andlook the handle D and consequently also the opera-glass firmly inposition. W hen the bolts d d are thus protruded they areheld from beingdrawn back by means of tumblers e e against which their opposite endsimpinge. These tumblers may be variously mounted, but in theconstruction shown they are arranged to slide in vertical direction inguides or keepers f f. They are arranged one above the other and areprovided with springs g g tending to press them toward each other. Thesesprings may be constructed to work in recesses in the tumblers and toreact against cross-rivets h h which also constitute stops to limit themovement of the tumblers. The bolts d d are provided with springs i c'which tend to press the bolts back so as to. unlock the opera-glass, butare resisted by the ends of the bolts coming against thetumblers e e, asstated. These tumblers are formed with notches e e into which the endsof the bolts may enter when the tumblers are pressed apart, as shown inFig. 5.. This pressing apart of the tumblers is accomplished by theinsertion of a coin and by pushing the coin between the tumblers.

A coin-slotj is formed in the top-plate of the box or case E, as shownin Figs. 2 and 4, and from this slot a coin-chute or conduit extendsdownward within the case, being constructed by means of two parallelvertical plates m and 'n, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or in any otherpracticable manner. The space between these plates should be justsufficient to easily admit the prescribed coin. When the coin isinserted in the slotj it drops down to the bottom of the conduit is,where it rests on a plate 19. A plunger or pusher F is arranged toenterbetween the plates m and n, being mounted on a rod g which passesout at the right-hand side of the case and has fixed on its end apush-button G. After the coin has been inserted the person operating thelock presses in this push-button, thereby moving the plunger F towardthe left so that it pushes the coin (designated by the circle lettered11) before it and forces the coin through the space between the tumblerse 6, thereby forcing these tumblers apart, as shown in Fig. 5, andconsequently unlocking the look.

The coin on being pushed through between the tumblers drops down withinthe conduit k and falls through a slot or opening 70" into thecoin-receptaclej applied beneath the case E. This receptacle will bemounted and fastened in any suitable way so that it cannot be opened totake out the coins except by a cashier or money-collector who isprovided with a special key.

Any suitable lock or fastening, such as that indicated in dotted linesat J, may be employed, the details of which it is not deemed necessaryto illustrate as such key-actuated locks are well known.

As soon as the operator releases the pressure upon the button G thebutton and the plunger F are retracted by the action of a spring 0"applied to the stem q. WVhen the lock has been thus unlocked theopera-glass may be lifted to slide the handle D upward out of engagementwith the eyes 0 c.

When the user is through with the glasses he will reinsert the handle Dinto the eyes 0 c leaving the glass in plain sight, so that when theaudience are leaving the theater the attendants may assure themselvesthat all the glasses have been properly returned to place. Subsequentlyan attendant will examine each of the coin-actuated locks and willrelock them. This he will do by inserting a special key, such as thatshown in dotted lines at K in Fig. 3, into a key-hole shown at s in Fig.2, and by turning the key will press against a cross-bar t connectingthe two bolts d d, and thereby pressing the bolts outwardly against thetension of their springs t i so that their outer ends shall enter therecesses a a in the handle D. Upon so doing the tumblers e 6 will bereleased by the'disengagement of the bolts (1 d with their notches e andthe tumbler springs g y will cause the tumblers to fly toward eachother, thus restoring the lock ready for the next operation.

It will be observed that in the use of my coin-actuated lock thusdescribed the actual work of unlocking the lock is done by the powerderived'from the hand of the operator and transmitted to the push-buttonG, and is not at all dependent upon the weight or momentum of the coinwhich is inserted into the lock. This form of lock is hence well adaptedfor use with coins of light weight, such as silver dimes, for example,the weight of which could not be relied upon to do the work of unlockingthe lock. The insertion of too large a coin is prevented by thecoinslotj being made barely large enough to admit the prescribed coin.If too small a coin be inserted it will pass through between thetumblers e e without displacing them sufficiently to bring their notchesinto register with the ends of the bolts, or it will displace only oneof them leaving the other tumbler still in position to prevent theretraction of the other bolt, so that the opera-glass still remainslocked.

It will be observed that the coins in falling down the chute 70' do notinterfere with the bolts d d, since these bolts are on the front side ofthe. plate or while the coin passes along the rear of this plate. Theplates m 'n are notched or recessed to admit the tumblers e 6. Myinvention maybe variously modified in lIO matters of detail withoutdeparting from its essential features, which will be expressed in theclaims.

The new means for the renting of operaglasses provided by my inventionhas the advantage of enabling persons in the audience to procure theglasses at any time during the performance and without leaving theirseats and without requiring the services of an attendant. It alsoprovides against fraud so that the owner of the glasses is insured thereceipt of his rental money, and it provides for the detection of an yattempt to purloin the glasses, so that their return by the users isassured and the annoyance of requiring a deposit from the renter isobviated. Hence the number of glasses rented in the course of an eveningis greatly increased and it is made feasible and profitable to placetheir rental at so low a price as to be a trifling circumstance to thepersons renting them, whereby people are encouraged to avail themselvesof the opportunity to rent glasses at the theater and thereby are savedthe annoyance of bring ing glasses of their own from their homes. Theseadvantages have already been realized in the practical application of amodified form of my invention in several theaters.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features,substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

1. The combination, with a coin controlled lock adapted to be unlockedbya coin and relocked by a key, of a manually operated appliance wherebyupon manipulation, a coin is adapted to operate and open the lockingdevice, and a key whereby the locking lever is adjusted.

2. In a coin lock the combination with a movable part projecting on theexterior of the casing, of a movable part located on the inside of thecasing and adapted to be displaced by the manipulation of the projectingpart after the insertion of a coin or other token, and a key to replacesaid part in the locked position, substantially as described.

3. In a coin lock the combination with a movable part accessible fromthe exterior of the casing of a movable part located under the casingand adapted to be displaced by manipulating the movable exterior partproj ectin g to the exterior of the case after the insertion of a coinand to be replaced in the latter position by the use of a key asdescribed.

4. In a coin actuated lock the combination with closed lock casing,having a key hole for the insertion of a key to readjust the lock, of acoin chute, and a movable locking device located inside the closed lockcasing, and a special key to readjust the lock.

5. In a coin actuated lock the combination with a closed lock casing,having a key hole for the insertion of a key to readjust the lock, of acoin chute, and a movable locking device located inside the closed lockcasing, and a projecting device, normally disconnected from the lockingdevice and adapted to be connected thereto by the insertion of a coin inthe coin aperture.

6. In a coin actuated lock, the combination,

with a locking bolt or catch, and a coin conduit, of a pusher adaptedwhen manually displaced to forcibly move the coin, and a movable partprojecting into the path of the coin and connected to the bolt, wherebywhen so displaced the bolt is Withdrawn, and a special key to reset thebolt in the locked position.

7. In a coin actuated lock, the combination, with a fastening bolt orcatch, and a coin c011- duit, of a pusher adapted when manuallydisplaced to forcibly move the coin within said conduit, and amovabletumbler arranged to be displaced by such forcible movement of the coinand connected to the bolt, whereby when so displaced it permits theretraction of the bolt, and a special key to reset the bolt in thelocked position.

8. In a coin actuated lock, the combination, with a locking bolt orcatch, and spring tending to retract said bolt, and a tumbler normallyresisting the retraction of said bolt, of a coin conduit, and a pusherfor forcibly moving the coin against the said tumbler, therebydisplacing said tumbler out of the path of the bolt, and a special keyto reset the lock as described.

9. In a coin actuated lock, the combination with a casing formed with acoin conduit, of a movable propeller, the tumblers, each provided withrecesses, the bolt d normally resting against the sliding bolts andadapted to engage the recesses in the tumblers when the latter areoperated by a coin.

10. In a coin actuated lock, the combination with a casing formed with acoin conduit, the loops on the exterior of the casing adapted to receivethe handle of an article to be rented, of the propeller G, the tumblers,springs holding them locked, the recess e in each of the tumblers, thesliding bolt adapted to engage the article to-be rented, the spring 2',and its standard engaging the latter bolt whereby it is normally heldagainst the tumblers, all combined and operating substantially asdescribed.

11. A coin actuated locking mechanism controlling an article to berented and adapted and arranged to become directly fastened to and toretain the article to be used, in combination with an article to berented, and with a manually operated appliance, whereby upon propermanipulation a coin is adapted to operate and open the lockingmechanism.

12. A coin actuated locking mechanism adapted and arranged to beunlocked by the insertion of a coin and relocked by a key, andcontrolling anarticle to be rented and adapted and arranged to directlyengage and retain the article to be used, in combination with a key, andwith an article to be rented.

13. A coin operated locking mechanism controlling an article to berented, and adapted and arranged to become directly fastened to andretain the article to be used.

14. In a holder for an article to be rentedthe combination with a coinchute of a looking mechanism adapted to be unlocked by a coin broughtinto engagement therewith and to remain in the unlocked position untilreset by special manipulation and a lock casing preventing access tosaid locking mechanism by the user.

15. A coin actuated locking mechanism controlling an article to berented, and adapted and arranged to become directly fastened to and toretain the article to be used, in combination with means whereby theparts may be engaged again upon proper manipulation.

16. The combination,with anormally closed and locked holder for anarticle to be rented, of mechanism controlled and operated by a coinwhereby the article to be used may be released and means whereby theparts are non-relock-able in reference to the user.

17. Thecombination,with anormallylocked holder for an article to berented, of mechanism controlled andoperated by acoin,whereby the articleto be used may be released and means whereby the parts arenon-relockable in reference to the user, and whereby the parts may onlybe restored to their original position upon special manipulation.

18. 'Thecombinatiomwith anormally locked holder for an article to berented, and with mechanism controlled and operated bya coin, and meanswhereby the parts are non-relockable in reference to the user and thearticle may be released, and whereby the parts may only be restored totheir original position upon special manipulation of a key whereby thelocking mechanism may be readjusted.

19. The combination, with a coin controlled lock adapted to directlyretain an article, and also adapted to be unlocked by a coin andrelocked by a key, of a support for an article to be rented, of a key,whereby the coin controlled support after being actuated by a coin, maybe readjusted. v

20. A support for an article to be rented, in combination with a coincontrolled mechanism for the same adapted to be unlocked by a coin andrelocked by a key, and with a key, whereby the lock may be tripped andreadjusted after it has been operated by a coin.

21. The combination of a key, and a coin actuated lock adapted to beunlocked by the insertion of a coin and relocked by said key. 22. Thecombination, with a holder for an article to be rented, and with a coincon trolled lock, of a manually operated appliance whereby uponmanipulation a coin is adapted 7 to operate and open the locking device,and

of a key whereby the lock may be readjusted after having been actuatedby a coin.

23. A coin controlled lock, in combination with a manually operatedappliance, whereby upon manipulation a coin is adapted to operate andopen the locking device, and with means whereby the parts arenon-relockable in reference to the user.

24. A coin controlled lock, in combination with a manually operatedappliance, whereby upon manipulation a coin is adapted to operate andopen the locking device, and with means whereby the parts arenon-relockable in reference to the user and also with a key whereby thelocking mechanism may be readjusted.

25. A coin controlled lock, in combination with a manually operatedappliance, whereby upon manipulation a coin is adapted to operate andopen the locking device, and with a support for the article to berented, and also with a key whereby the locking mechanism may bereadjusted.

26. The combination, with a support, of an independent coin controlledarticle to be rented adapted to engage the support, and of a handle forthe article, and also of a con nee-ting device for connecting the handleand article.

27. The combination, with an article to be rented, and with anindependent locking mechanism adapted to engage the article, of a handlefor the article to be rented, and of a connecting device for connectingthe handle and article.

28. The combination, with a handle of an article to be rented, and witha coin controlled holder therefor, of a coin actuated lock, and

a manually operated appliance whereby upon anism controlled and operatedby a coin, and

readjusted by a key.

30. The combination,with a normally locked support for an article to berouted, and for a handle connected therewith, of a coin lock, and of amanually operated appliance,whereby upon manipulation a coin is adaptedto operate and open the locking mechanism, whereby the said article andhandle may be released.

31. The combination, with the handle of an article to be rented, of acoin controlled supporting holder for said handle.

32. The combination, with a handle of an article to be rented, of a coinoperated looking mechanism adapted and arranged to become directlyfastened to and to retain the said handle.

33. The combination, with a handle of an article to be rented, of a coincontrolled lock adapted to engage said handle, and of a manuallyoperated appliance, whereby upon manipulation a coin is adapted tooperate and open the locking mechanism.

34:. A coin controlled lock adapted to engage the handle of an articleto be rented, in combination with said handle, and with said article, asupport therefor, andv with a manually operated appliance whereby uponmanipulation a coin is adapted to operate and and adapted and arrangedto directly engage and to retain the said handle, in combination withmeans whereby the parts may be engaged again upon proper manipulation.

36. The combination, with an article provided with a handle, of meanswhereby the article and handle are attached together, and of a coinoperated locking mechanism controlling the article to be used andadapted and arranged to become directly fastened to no and retain thesaid article.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM PATTERSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER,

CHARLES K. FRASER.

